Procurement

How does UNDP do business

UNDP Sri Lanka works to ensure that all transactions are carried out to the highest degree of public trust and maintains high standards. The following general principles are given due consideration in the procurement process:

Best value for money – The selection of the offer which presents an integrated assessment and the optimum combination of life-cycle costs and benefits, which meet the needs of UNDP Sri Lanka.

Fairness, integrity and transparency - As competition is the basis for efficient, impartial and transparent procurement, business units are responsible for protecting the integrity of the procurement process and maintaining fairness in UNDP’s treatment of all offerors.

Effective competition - The objective of UNDP’s competitive processes is to provide all eligible prospective offerors with timely and adequate notification of UNDP’s requirements and an equal opportunity to tender for the required goods, civil works and services.

Interest of UNDP - In practice, the specific procurement rules and procedures established for the implementation of a programme are contingent upon the individual circumstances of the particular case; however four considerations consistently guide UNDP’s interest for the acquisition of inputs:
1. The need for economy and efficiency in the implementation of the programme, including the procurement of goods, civil works and services involved;
2. The access to procurement opportunities for all interested and qualified Offerors worldwide, except where other criteria mandated by the Security Council or General Assembly prevails;
3. Giving all eligible offerors the same information and equal opportunity to compete in providing goods, civil works or services; and
4. The importance of transparency in the procurement process.

Procurement methods:

The overall objective of the solicitation and tendering processes is to produce high quality goods, civil works and/or services as economically possible. For UNDP Sri Lanka, this objective is best achieved through the transparent use of public funds and effective competition, which affects the choice of procurement method and the documentation and procedures that are used. UNDP Sri Lanka uses a variety of procurement methods for the solicitation and tendering of goods, civil works and/or services. The method selected depends upon a number of factors including the type of goods or services being procured as well as its value. Depending on the nature and size of the project and its procurement elements, commonly used methods of solicitation include:
· Request for Quotation;
· Invitation to Bid;
· Request for Proposal;
· Micro Purchasing;
· Direct Contracting.